The abortion debate has reignited in New Brunswick after the provincial Liberals adjusted their stance on abortion rights on the weekend.

The Liberals have amended their policy to call for better access to abortion services, and with a provincial election five months away, the Liberals will now consider the new policy as they prepare their platform.

However, some analysts believe the new policy won’t become part of the Liberals’ election platform.

Jamie Gillies, an assistant professor of communications and public policy at St. Thomas University, says the Liberals have done little to trumpet what he says is a significant shift in policy.

“One of the tells in this is that, despite media attention on the policy changes from the convention, in the media release after the convention, they did not mention it,” says Gillies.

“So, I think everybody is still somewhat on the fence, both the Progressive Conservatives and the Liberal Party, on this issue.”

Liberal Leader Brian Gallant told CTV News on Monday that, despite opposition within party ranks, a policy shift was necessary.

“For me, it was a no-brainer when we started this discussion as couple of weeks ago that we have to move on this and ensure access is there as it’s supposed to be,” said Gallant.

“And again, I’m glad that we did allow the membership to have an open discussion on this and I think the membership handled it very respectfully and I thought a lot of good points were made.”

But NDP Leader Dominic Cardy says the Liberals have been trying to position themselves since it was announced Fredericton’s Morgentaler Clinic would be shutting its doors.

“We should be looking at the best policies that connect with voters, absolutely, but those policies have to be the ways of expressing principles that don’t change based on the changing mood of public opinion,” says Cardy.

MLAs are not sitting this week, but Cardy says Gallant has a chance to call on the government for an immediate change next week, which would signal that the new Liberal policy might become a Liberal platform plank.

Abortion rights advocates in New Brunswick say, without a change in the current government policy, women’s rights will suffer after the privately-funded Morgentaler Clinic closes this summer.

With files from CTV Atlantic's Andy Campbell